The Difference Between Heaven and Hell
by DarknessAngel013
Summary: UPDATED! AU Kagome and Sesshomaru are demigods sent, one from heaven and one from hell, to the Neutral Realm : Earth, at birth. Conflicts arise, arranged marriages. Can the lovers hold on to what they started?
1. Chapter One

The Difference Between Heaven and Hell

Prologue: 18 years ago

-

-The Beneath-

The hell-born goddess Seraphina looked upon her demi-god child, greed in her eyes. This one would be perfect. This demon would look upon the land in hate. She could feel it. This hell-born creature would look upon death and smile. And yet...her precious creation would come to his downfall just like every other one she had created. The Great One had said so.

"Oh Great One, how will the child fall in the neutral world? How will this perfect creation cease to follow the Order?"

But the Great One said nothing, told Seraphina nothing, so Seraphina held her babe close to her and walked back into the Halls of Truth, returning to the neutral world to place her babe in the hands of his demon adoptive parents.

Her silver hair fell over her shoulders in waves and her golden eyes shone like puddles of molten sunshine, but Seraphina was not beautiful. She was evil in beauty's form. She was killing perfection, just as her son was meant to be.

"Killing perfection...it suits you, my son." She seemed to ponder something before smiling, in a sickly sweet way. "The japanese name for you, my son, is Sesshomaru. You shall be feared, my son. Sesshomaru is thy name."

Then she spoke no more, just stared blankly at the path ahead of her. Her mind was clouded with thoughts of her mighty son's defeat.

-

-The Above-

The heaven-born goddess Eve screamed, her wail forcing the creatures around her to cover their ears in pain. The goddess really was excruciatingly loud.

In between contractions, the goddesses prayed for the pain to end and the babe to arrive in the world. The prophecy said today was the day for a miraculous birth that would change the existence of the three worlds forever: The Above, the Neutral Realm, and the Beneath; Heaven, Earth and Hell.

Finally the healing goddess peered between Eve's legs and saw the head of the babe poking out. "Push, your highness, I see the babe's crown of hair." And she did push. She pushed harder than she had ever pushed any of her other 10 children. This child needed to be out quickly. She was a demi-goddess and needed to be taken to the Neutral Realm. As she pushed harder, Eve began to wonder why she had ever had that affair with the human man. If she hadn't, her newest daughter would be a true goddess, not a demi-goddess, but the true and whole goddess of Purity.

"Here she comes, you highness, one last push!"

And Eve pushed one last time, sufficiently eliminating almost all of her strength. She wouldn't have been able to push again. Luckily, she didn't need to.

Her daughter was presented to her and she held her fragile body up against her lithe frame. "What shall I call you, my child?"

Her elderst daughter, Sora, goddess of the wind, stepped forward. "Mother..."

"Yes, Sora?"

"How about the name Kagome?"

"Kagome? Basket?"

Sora blushed and whispered in her mother's ear: "The basket, mother, is another term for a mother's womb. If she is to be the demi-goddess of Purity, then basket fits because her womb is always pure. She can only become impregnated when she is with her true love. Basket and Purity fit."

Eve smiled and wrapped her arms around her youngest child. "Kagome...a perfect name for the perfect daughter..." And then the midwife took Kagome from her grasp, taking her to the messenger to be taken to the Neutral Realm.

"Be safe, my Kagome..."

-

-Chapter One: Present Time-

"Kagome-chan! Kagome-chan! KAGOME!" Souta, the youngest Higurashi, pushed through the crowd, chasing after his elder sister. "Kagome! Don't go!"

Kagome spun around and halted, looking at her brother threateningly. "Why, Souta? Why can I not go to my InuYasha?"

"Because he is deceiving you!" Kagome's eyes flashed silver. "Kagome-nee-chan? Why did your eyes change color?"

Kagome closed her eyes and a tear slipped out. "How do you know he is deceiving me, Souta?"

"Because Naomi-sama saw him go into the woods with Kikyou. Kikyou was wearing her nightclothes and everything! She had the Shikon-no-tama with her. I think she stole it out of Mama's shrine."

"Thank you Souta. I need to go find InuYasha."

"No! You'll heart will be broken."

"My heart is already broken. I need to find the Shikon-no-kakera before Kikyou does something foolish." Kagome hiked up her kimono, the ends still trailing in the dust of the road, and ran into the woods, very aware that several demons awaited her in it's dark depths.

"InuYasha! InuYasha!" she called, still running. She couldn't stop moving, there was something in the woods; she could feel it.

-

Sesshomaru watched as the girl ran. Her raven tresses fell out of her bun as she went and her kimono became dirtier by the second, but she was still strikingly beautiful. What did this alluring creature want with his brother?

He had been passing by a local village when he had smelled her. It wasn't that she had a bad scent, it was actually a very pleasing aroma, it was just that he could not place what she was. She did not have the coppery smell of a demon nor the death-coated scent of a ningen. She smelled like lavender and vanilla mixed and his inner-inu had called for her. His inu had never called for any female.

So, Sesshomaru had decided to follow this creature, little did he know that this particular creature knew that he was following her.

-

"InuYasha! INUYASHA!" Kagome was gasping for air. She couldn't keep running like this. "InuYasha, come out you COWARD! Bring me back the Shikon-no-Kakera! I don't care if Kikyou is with you! COME OUT! And you, whatever the heck you are, in the tree behind me, you come out too!"

Sesshomaru's mouth dropped. She sensed him? Caught, the only thing Sesshomaru could do was remove himself from the tree and introduce himself, because Sesshomaru, Prince of the West, did not stalk young women, or run away from an encounter. "Human, how can you sense me?"

Kagome flipped around and banged her nose on something considerably hard. "Ow..." She looked up and was met with the most beautiful pair of eyes she had even seen. "Whoa...urmm...who are you?"

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "You do not know me, girl?"

Kagome turned pink from anger. "My name is Kagome. Not girl, wench, witch, ningen, and/or wretch. Got that?"

Sesshomaru's eyes tinted red. "Learn your place, girl."

Kagome lifted a hand and smacked him right across the jaw. "My name is Kagome. And I hope that slap turned on your pathetic brain."

Sesshomaru growled. Who did this girl think she was? "Touch me again and I will not hesitate in removing your head from your body."

"What are you, some suicidal idiot or something? You can't tell me what to do! And it's against the laws around here to murder Princesses, is it not? I am Lady Kagome Higurashi, Princess of the Kingdom of Yokohama, second only to my parents, and on equal level with Lord Sesshomaru Tashio himself, and bearer of a purifying power unique only to me and deadly to almost every demon."

Sesshomaru smirked. "Equal level to the Tashios? In your dreams, mortal. Maybe you are equal to InuYasha but your equality ends there."

"Lord InuTashio bestowed a great honor on my family. We protect the jewel of the West: the Shikon-no-Kakera, the great jewel that gives power to any that possess it. Also, my elder sister, Kikyou, has been promised to the Prince Sesshomaru. They are promised to be mated and wed."

Sesshomaru's eyes bled red. "A mortal mating with the Prince. Preposterous."

"It's true. My parents signed the engagement agreement this morning. I was sent to go find Kikyou, but she has disappeared with the jewel and is somewhere in this woods with InuYasha Tashio, the hanyou Prince, disowned by his father." Sesshomaru lifted an eyebrow and his eyes returned to their original golden hue. This girl knew a lot about his family. Maybe she was what she said.

"Is the Kikyou you speak about Kikyou Nanami Higurashi, the miko Princess?"

Kagome sighed. "Yes, she is my sister. I feel sorry for Prince Sesshomaru though..."

He cocked his head. "Why is that?"

"Kikyou is currently sleeping with InuYasha and when she marries Sesshomaru, I doubt she will be faithful." She blushed. "I'm sorry. I've said too much. I don't want to bore you any longer, so I will take my leave. I need to find the sister of mine." She pulled the comb from her hair, letting the tendrils fall freely, before hiking up her kimono and running deeper into the woods. As she went, she glanced over her shoulder at him: "Arigatou for listening to me, Youkai-sama, I hope we meet again." Then she was gone; gone to find his half-brother and his future mate.

Sesshomaru spat. He was to be married off to a human whore! How degrading! How could his father do this to him! There must be someone else for him to marry. There just had to be.

Sesshomaru turned and disappeared into the sanctity of the darkness, wallowing in his loathing of the world and it's cruel ironies.

Meanwhile, Kagome was fuming. Where was that ruddy sister of hers! "KIKYOU HIGURASHI! COME OUT HERE BEFORE I GO AND GET SANGO AND KIRARA!" Suddenly, InuYasha appeared from one of the nearby trees, Kikyou on his back.

Kikyou climbed off the hanyou's back and walked towards her younger sister. "Ah, Kagome. Nice to see you. Isn't it InuYasha?"

"Of course, Kikyou-koi." InuYasha had a blank expression and the Shikon-no-Kakera hung around his neck like collar.

"What did you do to him, Kikyou?"

"He wanted to play with the Shikon and I let him. Now it has possessed him and I have his powers. I may only be half a hanyou, but I have gained more power nevertheless. I don't want to completely kill him yet, it might anger my future mate and his parents."

"Didn't you know? The Tashios disowned InuYasha because he's a half-breed and a dishonor to their taiyoukai family line."

Kikyou wiped the dirt from her hand on InuYasha's fire-rat kimono. "Pity for him. Now I have no reason to keep him alive."

Kagome let a tear slide down her cheek. "Can I say goodbye first? To the real InuYasha? I know I can't stop you but I want to let him know how much I love him."

Kikyou scoffed. "Pathetic. I don't want you to touch him. You can say goodbye to this InuYasha or you can just leave. I'm not giving up my power for even two seconds so you can say your pitiful goodbyes."

"Fine." Kagome reached carefully into the inner part of her kimono, grabbing a hold of her dragon-scale throwing dagger. The question was, did she kill Kikyou or InuYasha. The answer was simple, if she were to kill InuYasha now, while Kikyou was still feeding off his power, they would both die, but Kikyou would die first, which would give Kagome just enough time to say goodbye.

She pulled the dagger out and threw it fast to her right, hitting InuYasha in the throat, causing him to choke and fall, dying. Kikyou fell next, clutching her throat and reaching out to Kagome, silently screaming. "Kikyou, it was your time. You've endangered our whole family." Then she pulled the dagger from InuYasha's throat and pressed it into Kikyou's still beating heart. Her sister sputtered and spit up a little blood before going still.

Kagome walked over to where InuYasha lay, dying. "I'm so sorry, InuYasha. Kikyou was posessing you. You would have been a threat to my kingdom and more importantly my family. I guess I didn't love you as much as I thought..." Then she kissed his sweating brow and left him to his death. She couldn't be the killing blow.

She began her trek back to the village, wiping her bloodied hands on her inner kimono, hoping to conceal it's scent from the demons and it's visibility from the humans. She was not as lucky as she thought.

A bear youkai leapt into her path and swiped her across the side, ripping out chunks of flesh and fabric as it went. She fell over in a heap, slowly collecting blood on every inch of her body, and slowly losing consciousness. The bear loomed over her, hunger in the depths of his green eyes and was about to dine upon Kagome's young flesh when a blur of silver and white cut in front of it, knocking it to the ground. It looked perplexed for a moment as the blur materialized into the form of Sesshomaru.

"Beast, what do you think you are doing to the Princess of Yokohama?" The bear looked at Sesshomaru stupidly before growling and attempting to escape into the woods. Sesshomaru cut in front of him, smoothing his silver hair back from his face. "No, bear, I'm not done with you yet. You've harmed a Princess. That's treason. I will have to end your pathetic excuse for a life."

Kagome glanced up from her position. "No, youkai, do not kill him. I am covered in blood. That is what tempted him to attack me." She looked at the bear and noticed it was all white except for a black crescent shaped marking over it's right eye and two black stripes on each of it's front legs. It was slightly cute, in a demonic sort of way. "Don't kill it. It's kinda cute."

The bear seemed to purr, more so growled, and Sesshomaru gave it a strange look. "What are you purring at, you idiot?" The bear quieted and bowed submissively. Kagome attempted to stand but was sent sprawling by the force of the pain.

"Ow..." The bear stepped toward her and began to lick the blood off of her face and hands, transforming into a smaller demon as it went. By the time it was done it was the size of a cub and it relaxed next to her, content to lick her hand. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes.

"Softie...Kagome, it seems you have the pest under control."

"It seems I do. Thank you for saving me, even though I feel slightly bad for not knowing your name."

Sesshomaru pondered that. If he told her his real name, she might stop talking to him, in fear of angering her sister and parents. Or his. So he decided to shorten it. "Maru."

She seemed to think for a moment. "Maru...it's a strong name. So Maru-sama, is there any way you could get me to the village or somewhere I could heal this badly mangled side of mine." The bear stood then, as if hearing it's cue to help.

"Kuma...you can't help. You're too small and I don't want you getting big again because that mean you'll want to eat me again."

"Kuma?"

Kagome laughed, the melodic giggle filling the dark space between her and Sesshomaru. "He needs a name."

"Don't tell me you're keeping him as a pet."

"He's not even an adult yet! He needs a mother!"

"Do you make it a habit of taking in stray demons?"

Kagome blushed. "Oh no. How many do you have?"

"Well, my mom adopted a little fox kit name Shippo. He's like a little brother, but he calls me mama. And then there's Koga. I found him wounded and let him work in my household, but he kinda has a crush on me." Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. He knew Koga. He was one of InuYasha's rivals during his childhood years. Sesshomaru had always been on Koga's side, even though Koga was only a peasant. He disliked his younger brother that much.

"Interesting."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "If you're going to be so damn condescending, I'll crawl my way back to my village. Maybe my blood'll hold out till then."

Sesshomaru looked at her, then walked over to her, picked her and leapt into the air. Kagome squealed. "What about Kuma!"

"He'll follow if he likes you as much as you say he does." Sure enough, Kuma was trailing them on the ground; a tiny white puffball in a sea of black and green.

"Aww..." Kagome looked down and gasped, clutching tighter to Sesshomaru's frame. "Why are we up so high?"

"Would you like to get attacked again?"

Kagome paled and put a hand to her side. "No..." She looked into the horizon and saw an approaching white castle. "Where are we going?"

"To the Western castle."

Kagome laughed. "Why would you want to go there? Kikyou said that Sesshomaru is a total ass and he's the nice on of the family!"

Sesshomaru almost dropped her, he jerked so hard. "Sesshomaru-sama is not an ass. He's just a typical royal teenage male."

Kagome smiled. "I bet you're right. Kikyou was wrong about everybody." Kagome let a grief-filled tear slide down her face. Before he knew what was happening, Sesshomaru had wiped it away with the smooth side of his nail. Kagome shivered.

"Maru, what are you doing?"

"I must tell you something Kagome-sama. I am not who you think I am." He looked down at her pale face and saw something there; it was acceptance and regret.

"I am also not who you believe me to be." She turned her face away from his gaze. "Can you take me home? I have a feeling that after what I've done today, my household will be in an uproar."

Sesshomaru nodded and changed course, heading for the main village in the center of the Yokohama kingdom: Kagome's home.

He alighted on her marbled balcony, his boots hardly making a sound. Kagome was fast asleep in the crook of his arm, sleeping off her injury. Dirt caked her face and her was matted with blood. He wondered, sullenly, if he would ever get to see her in all of beautiful splendor. Maybe they would meet at a gala, or in the worst case, at her sister's and his wedding. Somewhere in his mind he wondered if he would be able to go through the ceremony with Kagome in the room. Today they had shared something and he would never be able to forget it. If only they were not both royalty. Things could be different.

He sighed and left, pondering that troublesome thought all the way back to the West. He saw Kuma, as he left, padding outside of the stable door, trying to get in. He landed next to the bear and opened the stable door. The bear relaxed in a corner stall, awaiting the return of it's mistress. Then Sesshomaru was gone; gone into the night to wallow in self-pity and hate for his once loved royal lineage.

R&R

Kudos and Mucho Love!

Darkness


	2. Chapter Two

The Difference Between Heaven and Hell

Chapter Two

Quotes used in this Chapter:

"Royalty is not like being famous. Being royal requires you to sacrifice who you are for who you must be." –The Queen in _The Prince and Me _(accredited to LionGate Films)

-Yokohama Castle-

She had never felt so completely evil. Kagome had always been the nice one—the wallflower that never spoke out of turn and never questioned an order. But that had been before she had become a murderer. Kikyou and InuYasha had been dead a month now, and things had changed considerably in the Higurashi household. For one, the marriage agreement had been rethought and cancelled, due, in part to Kikyou's death and, also, in part, to Sesshomaru's complete hatred of the idea—and this was only the beginning. Her mother and father, being left with only one daughter, had started petitioning nobles to marry her—as if she was some old pet that they wanted gone from their life, but wanted payment for. And then, like a fireball from Hell, her mother had suggested that _Kagome _marry Sesshomaru of the West. There had never been a moment that Kagome had been any angrier.

"No," she said, simply, ripping her new blue kimono at the seams. "I refuse to marry him! I need to find my own love in this world, and I refuse to be some toy that you pass to any available taker! Mama, you know I love you, but I refuse to marry him."

Her mother, Yoshii, merely sighed and picked up the scattered pieces of her daughter's kimono. "You have no choice. You are royalty."

"That doesn't mean I lose my free will. Royalty is all about money and politics. Nothing is ever about the _actual_ royal family."

Her mother grabbed her arm. "Kagome, royalty is not like being famous. Being royal requires you to sacrifice who you are for who you must be. This is you obligation and _this _is what separates you from the peasants and simple noblemen. You make horrible sacrifices daily. I know that this is hard for you, but you must accept it. You are a princess—and the only heir to the royal line." Then, with a flurry of skirts, Yoshii fled the room, leaving terrified servants in her wake. It was then that Kagome began to cry.

Servants ran out of the room, embarrassed to watch their once-strong mistress break down in front of them. It was also then that Kagome learned a valuable lesson—family comes before all else in this world. And it was because of this that Kagome agreed to marry one Prince Sesshomaru.

-Western Palace-

They wouldn't tell him her name. They wouldn't tell him her race or her class. They just told him that he was engaged, yet again, and that he had no choice in the matter. Sure, he had fought and whined, fighting the rules the whole time, but Sesshomaru knew that there was no stopping a King or Queen when their mind was made up. Tomorrow he would be meeting his bride for the first time and a day after that, they would be married.

The thing he was most saddened by was the fact that Kagome would never know how he felt about her. She would believe that her Maru-chan had been a rogue that never truly cared about her. And then, soon after, she, herself, would be married off in the name of royal lineage and family loyalty. It was both of their duties.

At that moment, his father entered Sesshomaru's room, his expensive boots clicking across the black marble like the ticking of a bomb—a bomb that spelled doom to Sesshomaru's entire existence. "Sesshomaru," he said, with a finality that spoke even more doom.

_(A/N: Anyone else thinking the "Doom" song from Invader Zim? Doom, doom, doom…doom-de-doom-doom….)_

"Father," he replied, with as much menace as he could manage. "I've already tried arguing my point, so if you're here to convince me again, let me tell you that I've decided to go through with it, even though it's the most ridiculous plan you've ever created." He turned back to the journal in front of him, scratching out the letter to Kagome that he had written only this morning. "So, you can leave now."

"Insolent whelp!" His father growled, speeding across the room and clasping his claws around Sesshomaru's neck. His silver/white hair settled behind him, matted from his quick movements. "I came to announce that your bride is here…early. She, too, must have experienced the same epiphany as you because she, as well, was fighting this and just miraculously gave in this morning." He let go, watching as Sesshomaru rubbed his bruised neck. "Pathetic really…the both of you." Then he flipped around and strode from the room, his boots clicking all the way. Sesshomaru winced as the door slammed—like a door slamming on his heart.

He realized then that his life had become a string of romantic clichés and that he had absolutely no control over his destiny in the love department. He was doomed to walk down the aisle with some—at least he prayed—pretty no-brain princess who was in love with money. That, in itself, was also a cliché, because not every pretty woman is in love with money or, coincidentally, a princess, and not every princess was pretty, just like not every princess liked money. Kagome, he assumed, hated money—and royalty, for that matter—and probably would have done something bold to get herself out of a predicament like the one he was stuck in—but this was no cliché because the cliché would be that Kagome is a _weak_, beautiful character like Ophelia in Hamlet—and we all know, sadly, that anything to do with Hamlet is, in fact, cliché. But all of this was beside the point and Sesshomaru really had to get back to reality and go meet his future bride who, depressingly, was not Kagome.

He strode down the hall, careful to avoid any of his family—his sisters were atwitter—excited that they finally got to attend a wedding and finally had a chance to marry themselves. Tradition required that the eldest marry first and, before now, Sesshomaru had been quite stubborn in his hatred of the idea of marriage. Safe to say, Shiori and Ikana were dreadfully excited and that made his hatred of _them_ even greater. His brother, also, seemed vaguely in love with the idea that Sesshomaru was getting married. That, he fretted, was definitely not a good thing.

He came upon the ballroom and peeked in, checking to see if his bride had been brought out to greet the royal family yet, and secretly hoping that she hadn't. All he saw when he looked in was a woman with a mane of ebony hair. His heart leapt into his throat. "Kagome?"

The woman turned around, revealing Kagome, in all of her royal splendor. "Maru-chan? What are you doing here?" She fiddled with the long sleeves of her dark red kimono—he noticed that it had black blossoms embroidered on it, but then again, he noticed everything about Kagome.

"I could ask you the same thing," he replied, with ease. "Are you accompaning your family?" He asked, thinking she had come to help give away the bride. It was custom for the royal family to be present when one of their noble's children was given over to another kingdom in marriage.

Kagome laughed lightly and replied with: "I guess you could say that. They're here, if that's what you're asking, but they're not with me, as you can see." She was stuttering and Kagome was sure that Maru noticed. "But now you can answer my question. Why are _you _here?"

"I work here," he replied, effortlessly lying. Then, suddenly, he heard his mother's voice calling him and craned his neck to see if she was coming down the hall. "But I must go now. My mistress," he nearly choked on the words, "is calling me." Then he turned and left, leaving a very stunned Kagome behind him.

She stood there, simply staring at the door, for probably five minutes straight before she snapped herself back to attention. She really was in way over her head—in love with one demon and marrying another. How would this possibly work? Not to mention the fact that, since she was born, the healers had declared her body unfit to borne a child. In other words, she was infertile. She was sure that wouldn't go over well the new husband of hers. He's have to go to a whore in order to produce an heir—hopefully he went to a whore that looked a little like her, at least. That way it would be easy to claim the child as her own.

Realizing that she was thinking about taking children from whores, Kagome shuddered and rubbed her hands over her arms, agitated. "What am I doing?" She breathed, thinking about Maru. "He's going to be here when this all happens...he'll work for me..." She let a tear slip down her cheek. And this was how her mother found her ten minutes later.

"Kagome?" Yoshii called, walking into the ballroom, her steps perfectly executed, like any royal woman walked. "Are you ready for the engagement ball?"

Kagome sniffled. "No more than I'll ever be." She took her mother's hand. "Is Mira here to help with my hair and dress?" Her mother nodded and a little iota of happiness rose up in Kagome's heart. "Let's get this over with, then." Then she exited the ballroom, her head held high and her soul filled with the bravado of a woman who had finally accepted her fate.

-3 Hours Later-

If there was anything good to say about the day, Kagome would have to say it was her gown for the ball. It was a stunning ensemble, done completely in white, as was tradition, but with a certain amount of flair that spoke volumes about Kagome's personality. Her ebony hair was coiled in a slightly messy bun at the base of her neck and was decorated with small diamonds and white and red roses. Around her neck she wore a string of diamonds and pearls and around her waist was a corset made of white silk with a white lace on top—this corsert made up the bodice of the gown. The skirt flowed beautifully and was only slightly belled. Her shoes were traditional all white sandals and around her second longest two she wore a silver ring—a ring that matched the simple engagement ring that wound around her finger. She was a stunning picture in white.

Ten servants awaited her outside to carry her to the ballroom—yes, carry—in her personal shoulder-carried chariot, made of black silk and covered in red rose petals. Kagome couldn't help but think that the blasted thing looked like it was carrying her to her doom.

When she boarded it, Kagome felt what little courage and confidence she had slipping away—the servants smiled and greeted her warmly before the hefted the chariot onto their shoulders. Two servants walked ahead of the chariot to announce and two walked behind to help her off of the carriage when they arrived—and arrive they did. When the doors opened to the ballroom, Kagome nearly had to shield her eyes it was so breathtaking. Had she really just been in this room only hours ago? Then, of course, she had to ruin the beautiful moment by remembering that everyone in this castle was a demon. She scowled once, before plastering her fake smile back onto her face—which was hidden by a mask.

The mask was also traditional. It was the future husband's job to find his future wife—by looking for the matching silver rings. Unfortunately for him, everyone in the room was wearing a silver ring on their finger. Thus, he would have to look for the only female wearing a silver ring on her foot. The future wife, on the other hand, was to look for the only man in the room with a ceremonial tattoo on the inside of his wrist—thus, she would have to shake hands with everyone in the room in order to find him—and, on top of all that, he, too, was wearing a mask—and neither of them were allowed to take their masks off until dinner was served at midnight. It was like a twisted Cinderella in a way.

The servants dropped her in the center of the dancefloor and then ran out of the room to hide the chariot. The game had not yet begun—the men had not been let in the room yet. The, suddenly, the back door to the ballroom swung open, admitting about 60 male demons of every variety. The thing about this game—both she and her future husband had an advantage. She was one of the only humans here, and she knew, without a doubt, that her future husband was a inu.

Then, with a blow from a bugle, the game began. The sooner the couple found one another, the sooner everyone could eat—but if anyone cheated then everyone would have to change costumes and the ball would have to begin again. Kagome wanted anything but that. So she worked fast—politely shaking hands with everyone until she glimpsed it—the silver crescent tattoo she was looking for. It was on a tall man standing by the doors. The only thing she could tell was that he silver hair and golden eyes—a tell-tale sign of an inuyoukai. She began to maneuver her way towards him. When she reached him, he lifted his gaze to her and nodded.

"About time. I was flashing the silver in the light to get you to notice. Can we get this over with now?" He asked, venom in his deep voice. Kagome shivered, but stood her ground, squaring her shoulders and putting her hands on her hips.

"I need you arm. Or are you not gentlemanly enough to lead me to the center of the dancefloor?" He raised and eyebrow. "You didn't know, Sir? That we must dance once in the very center before the game ends? I thought demons were big on tradition," she growled, sliding her arm into his. "Lead, Sir."

He nodded once and led her the center of the floor. Then, when the violin orchestra began to play, he spun her delicately and pulled her up against him. Her face immediately flushed in determination and she began to challenge his dancing skills—challenging him to a Japanese version of the tango. They twirled and spun, effortlessly, across the floor—the chemistry practically pouring off of every one of their movements. And then, when the song ended, he dipped her once before twirling her back to his side. They both were flushed and panting slightly. The crowd around them cheered and Kagome could hear her parents cheering the loudest, just as Sesshomaru could hear his.

_(A/N: I was listening to Sway by the Pussycat Dolls when I wrote this...wow)_

A man Kagome assumed was InuTashio, the King and her future father-in-law, stepped up onto a small podium and spoke. "Ladies and Gentleman, our two young lovers have found one another. And recordly fast, I must say. Now we can adjourn to the dining for the feast and the unveiling of eveyone's masks." He gestured to two large doors on the far left wall of the room. "Through that room is the engagement feast. Please make your way there." He finished, stepping back onto the floor. Everyone around the couple quickly dispersed, heading for the dining hall.

Kagome's "date" tried to go as well, but she held onto his arm, fiercely. "It's tradition that we be last to the feast." She scowled at him. "Didn't you pay attention to what you parents told you about all of the traditions?"

Sesshomaru kept his mouth shut because, quite frankly, he had been stunned into silence. He recognized his future-mate's voice. But from where? He tightened his grip on her arm, wanting to hear her speak again.

"Ow! Knock it off you big bully!"

And, just as Sesshomaru was about to remember where he had heard that voice, a servant gestured for them to enter the dining hall. He tilted his face to look at her. "Fake smiles, now. We wouldn't want them getting the right impression." Then he was silent, guiding her along like a trophy wife—which, truly, was all she was.

_**To be continued...**_

_**Next Chapter: The Dinner Party and the Unveiling, along with some "horse-play."**_

_-Darkness-_


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three:

_The Dinner Party and the Unveiling, Along with Some Distressing News_

The pig was roasted perfectly, as was the chicken and the beef…and the peacock and the duck…and even the quail…but Sesshomaru could taste none of it. He was too busy scowling. The cause of his scowling sat next to him, chatting amiably with his younger sisters, Shiori and Ikana, whilst he could hardly concentrate on what Lord Hatsuharu was saying next to him. His scowl deepened, if that was at all possible and his eyes darkened to an almost amber color.

The evil girl looked at him with something akin to nonchalance. "Stop your growling, you big stuffed puppy. People are watching us," she chided, putting a hand on his arm. A low growl rumbled from his throat. She backed off immediately. "If you do not cease this horrendous behavior, I will have to physically restrain you."

He scoffed. "I am much stronger than you, wench."

She smirked. "My physical body cannot hurt you, yes, I agree, but not my _Hama no reiryoku _certainly can, my dear husband-to-be, so shut your mouth before I make it disappear." Her eyes glittered in malice behind her white mask. His breath caught. He knew those eyes.

He straightened his shoulders, threateningly. "I wish to know your name," he ground out, trying to be as polite as possible, even through his veins were pulsing and his brain was foundling, trying to place a name to those eyes and that voice.

She rolled her eyes. "Not yet; we have to wait until the feast has ended. It's tradition, just as you cannot see my face until then: only my eyes and mouth." She picked up a pork roll with her chopsticks and stuck it in her mouth, chewing slowly. "Just be patient, Sesshomaru-sama." Then, satisfied with his silence, she turned back to his sisters,

"Ikana-chan, is your brother always like this?" she queried, looking at the brooding Prince over her shoulder.

Ikana shook her head. "No, he's not. He normally is very polite and respectful. Something has his fur standing up though."

Shiori, the younger of the two, tapped her sister's arm. "Ana-chan!" she squeaked. Ikana looked at the younger girl with an adoring expression.

"Yes, Shi-chan?"

"Ru-chan fell in love!" she chirped, causing Sesshomaru's head to swivel in her direction. He growled and Shiori scooted away, lowering her voice to nearly a whisper. "He's been going into the village to see a very pretty lady. Jaken-san told me so."

Ikana's eyes widened as she turned to look at Sesshomaru's bride-to-be. "How unfortunate. This could make problems for your marriage, and it hasn't even started yet." She chanced a venomous glare at her brother. "Why would he be so stupid as to fall in love now—when he knew he had to get married?"

The other girl shrugged, looking at her future husband with a pitying expression. "Love hits at the most inconvenient of times. I should know from experience."

Ikana gasped. "You are also in love?"

"Yes; very much so, I'm afraid. But I refuse to make a fool of myself. I will be a devoted wife. Sesshomaru will have everything but my heart. And, maybe, with time, I shall forget my beloved Maru and learn to love Sesshomaru instead."

Ikana nodded. "That's the spirit. And that's how Sesshomaru should be acting. He's only making this worse by treating you badly. He knows that mother would take your side; and so would I."

Shiori raised her hand. "And me!"

The bride-to-be smiled warmly. "Well, then, I guess I shouldn't worry too much. Besides, once I remove my mask, he may fall desperately in love with my beauty." She fluttered her eyelashes and pouted, while the two sisters giggled furiously.

Sesshomaru growled again. "You will cease this chatter at once, wife," he snarled, putting a clawed hand on the small of her back. "Or I will rip this dress from your body and feast upon your entrails—here, before everyone else."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Now let go. The feast is finally ending."

Sure enough, the King was standing from his seat at the end of the table. "Ladies, and Gentleman, I do believe this feast is just about done with. Do you agree?" There were several loud cheers from the party-goers. InuTashio smiled. "Then we shall do the unveiling!" With a wave of his hand, servants appeared behind every person at the table. Then with another wave, they pulled the masks from everyone—except for the engaged couple. "Now, the couple must remove each other's masks in order for the ritual to be complete."

Both Sesshomaru and his bride nodded and placed their hands to the opposite person's face. The girl flinched when his icy nails touched her ear on their way to the tie of the mask. He, too flinched, when her shaking hands brushed against his lips in passing. Then, with a sense of urgency, they pulled off the masks—and Sesshomaru couldn't stop his jaw from falling.

"Kagome-chan?" he whispered, his eyes widening.

Kagome's eyes filled with tears—angry tears. She swiped at him, causing a bright red welt to appear on his left cheek. "You're a bastard." She wiped at her eyes. "You said you were a servant here. Not the Prince."

She scooted out her chair, nearly knocking over a servant, and ran from the hall, sobbing. Her mother followed behind. After that, came his two sisters and his mother. And there, at the end of the running procession, was Sesshomaru, mentally berating himself as his eyes watered and he chased the object of his affection.

They found her in the garden, curled into the fetal position beneath a magnolia tree, her dress crumpled and her hair askew. She looked up when they approached, her eyes puffy and red. "Go away."

Kagome's mother bent and took her daughter into her arms. "What is wrong, Kagome-koi?" She smoothed her daughter's hair, her eyes beseeching.

"I cannot marry him, mama. He's evil," she rasped, dissolving into sobs again. Yoshii shook her head, kissing her daughter's forehead.

"Kagome, you must. You've already agreed. And you're already engaged. There's no going back. This isn't like a human wedding. This is a demon engagement and mating ceremony. You can't take it back. The two of you are already bound halfway."

At that moment, Sesshomaru appeared in the clearing, his eyes filled with tears. "Kagome, I am so sorry…" he breathed, looking at her with adoration.

She scoffed. "No you're not. You were taking advantage of me. You wanted your future bride to be complacent so you pretended to woo her—her knight in shining armor." She flipped her tangled hair over her shoulder. "Well, I'm not so easily fooled." She spat at the ground. "I hate you," she growled, with menace.

He hung his head. "You do not love me anymore."

"I loved an illusion, Sesshomaru." She shook her head, standing on shaky knees. "But, despite that, I will honor my commitment to your family. I will rule by your side—stoic and unforgiving. And I will bear the heirs to the Western line." She flinched when her mother gasped audibly and grabbed her arm.

"Kagome, you cannot promise such things."

Sesshomaru's eyebrows shot up. "It is a simple thing to promise; an easy thing. Why can she not?" he asked, his voice lowering in octave and his eyes darkening.

Kagome steeled herself. "Apparently I cannot beat around the bush any longer with this." Her eyes glinted with tears. "I cannot bear you children, my Lord. I am infertile.

REALLY SHORT!! I'm sorry, my dears, but this is where this chapter needed to be ended. I will update as soon as I can with a better, longer chapter. Also, sorry for the cliffie.

Read and Review please!!

-Darkness-


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

He felt his control slipping. His mouth slid open as his eyes roamed over her form. There were no scars, no pockmarks—nothing! There was no evidence of any trauma that could have possibly caused this.

"Infertile?" he breathed, astonished.

"Yes," she repeated.

He shook his head. "That is impossible. You are not ill, you are not scarred, and I smell no curse upon you. This is ludicrous; you must be lying to me."

She lifted a heavy gaze at him. "I wouldn't lie to you about something that has caused my suffering since I heard of it. There is nothing I want more than to have children!" Her hooded eyes filled with tears. "I have wished for that ability for as long as I can remember, Sesshomaru." She collapsed onto the ground, sobbing.

His heart ached as he watched the tears slide down her cheeks. "Kagome…"

Yoshii put up a hand. "The marriage will proceed as planned, Prince Sesshomaru, if that is what you wish. But, right now, Kagome needs her peace. She is deeply troubled by this conversation and it is highly improper for a prospective husband to see her in this way."

He shook his head. "My father will never allow the marriage if he discovers this horrible ailment of hers."

Yoshii nodded. "I understand, Prince—"

"Madame Higurashi, I need to speak with you in private."

The older woman bit her lip. "Of course—Nadia," she called to a servant nearby. "Please take Kagome to her chambers."

The teen protested only mildly, too focused on her tears to really ponder what her beloathed beloved and her mother were talking about. She was dragged out, sniffling, muttering angry words under her breath.

Once Kagome was away, along with the others that had followed the fuming girl and Prince, Yoshii Higurashi turned and sized up her daughter's potential husband. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and pale-skinned, with high cheekbones, golden eyes and a soft smile. He was eloquent and the haughtiness that was expected laid only the surface. As it was now, all she saw was worry and tension from a man who truly cared for a woman—her daughter.

"What is it, Prince Sesshomaru?" She alighted herself on a bench and watched as the normally-stoic Demon Prince began to pace the garden. "What is troubling you? I realize that we should have told you sooner, but your father was adamant that the proceedings continue as if Kikyou had not died at all. He gave me little time to prepare both myself and him."

Sesshomaru shook his head. "I do not blame you."

Yoshii smiled. "Somehow, I didn't think you did."

A smile tried to claim his face. It was wiped away quickly by a trace of panic. "I think…I think I love your daughter."

She gasped. "Sessho—"

"No. Listen. I know it's crazy. I know that no man should know his love this early. I know that love is learned and earned from experience and speech and observation. I know that demons rarely love. I _know_ that humans rarely love demons. I know _all_ of this and yet…yet I cannot shake the feeling that Kagome is the one that was meant to stand by my side." He ran a hand through his long hair. "But none of this, I fear, changes the fact that Kagome is infertile."

Yoshii saw the glistening of tears in his eyes. It drew her breath away. A demon _crying_? She had to tell him. Despite her decision she still sat silent, pondering her next words. It was a pregnant pause that left no choice for Sesshomaru but to pace. Finally, she replied, "It changes everything."

Her simple words nearly knocked him to the ground.

"What are you saying, Madame?"

Yoshii stood from the bench, coming to lay her weathered hands on the taut muscles of Sesshomaru's right arm. "What I am saying, dear Prince, is that Kagome is not what she appears to be."

Sesshomaru gave her a dark look. "This is no time for matchmaking games."

She laughed. "No games, Sesshomaru. This is very serious, in fact."

He nodded, slowly. "Continue."

She pulled away from him. "First of all, you should know that I did not birth my darling Kagome, and neither did my husband contribute in any way to her existence." She closed her eyes.

Sesshomaru scoffed. "Such pretty language to call you daughter a bastard."

Her fiery gaze struck him. "Insufferable. Absolutely insufferable." She grabbed his arm in her hands. Her hard grip stunned him and he let out a yelp of protest. How was this human woman hurting him?

"Kagome is as much our daughter as Kikyou was."

Sesshomaru pulled away and rubbed his arm. "That's impossible."

She sighed. "Kagome is a gift from the Gods."

He laughed. "More motherly prattle!"

She punched him. Hard. "She is the Demi-Goddess of fertility, protection and purity, you insufferable Prince!" She put a hand to her face and Sesshomaru was amazed to watch a strange glow envelop her. "Do you not wonder how I am able to hurt you? How Kagome's stare can nearly paralyze you?"

Sesshomaru backed away, stunned as Yoshii's skin changed to a shimmering white and her eyes bled to an unnatural pink. Then, her once-ebony hair bled cherry red. "We are Goddesses."

His scream sounded almost like a roar.

"What is this nonsense?!"

"I am Cienna, the Demi-Goddess of both Pleasure and Poison." Her pink stare pinned him to the ground and pinned his mouth shut. "And Kagome is my sister. My youngest sister, in fact."

* * *

Kagome's mood did not improve.

It was always like this. Every time someone mentioned her frailty, her _weakness_, she started to cry. It made her feel even more weak. It was _ridiculous_. She rubbed at her eyes. And this time she didn't even know why she was crying. It wasn't as if she actually _wanted_ to have kids or puppies or whatever the hell they called them with _Sesshomaru_, the Prince of Assholes ... and liars.

She sniffled. Okay so maybe that was a bit of a lie.

He _was_ damn sexy. And she _had _loved him. A lot. Even though she had only known him for a short time. And that's what sucked the most about it. It had been the miraculous love at first sight. She had truly believed that what he offered was exactly what she needed to be complete.

But then he turned around and became an asshole.

And a liar. And a heart-breaker.

Go figure. Just like his half-brother.

"Nadia, leave me alone."

"The Missus told me to watch you, Lady."

"And I'm telling you to get the hell out."

Her proper handmaiden flinched at the inappropriate language. "Must the Lady always act so angrily?" She fretted forward, trying to tame the tangle of Kagome's coif back into some sort of order. "I am only here to assure you are safe and cared for, should you need anything."

Kagome scowled but reluctantly let her continue grooming.

Finally, after a few moments, Nadia said, "Besides, you're going to have to _eventually_ return to the ball. Your father and father-in-law will be very worried. As will the Master Sesshomaru's siblings." She sighed. "Such love."

That broke her. Kagome started sobbing once again.

Nadia, always oblivious, simply said, "Did I say something to upset you?"

* * *

Sesshomaru's tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. Silence permeated the entire garden, broken only by the wind rustling the various petals and leaves and the indigenous birds twittering excitedly. It was nerve-racking.

Finally, he mustered : "Does she know?"

Cienna scoffed. "Of course not."

"Your husband?"

She looked towards the ground. "There's no need. My body is a mortal one. My powers limited. I am no more powerful that you are. And he didn't need the added worry from my _real_ side of the family." At his startled look, she added, "I chose this life, Sesshomaru. I chose love and mortality over power and forever. All Demi-Gods and Goddesses get this choice."

"What of Kagome?"

Cienna cringed. "Kagome is the only exception."

His eyebrows raised. "Why?"

Cienna's eyes filled with crimson tears. "Because Kagome is an immortal child of purity born from the sin of a mortal."

Her vagueness frustrated him. "Explain."

She nodded. "Gods and Goddesses have only one weakness, Prince Sesshomaru. It is a strange one—one you would not expect—but it is a weakness all the same." She cleared her throat. "We cannot consume earthly food."

"Why?"

She smiled. "Always the 'whys'. So curious." She gestured to the garden. "Because earthly food is forged of the life energy of the planet—it is the mortal energy that fuels every being on the planet. It is was _made_ you, and the humans, the animals and the plants. Thus, when a Goddess or God consumes food from earth, they are instantly weakened to mortality—for a short time. And if a Demi-God or Goddess consume food from earth, they are instantly weakened to mortality...permanently. It is how I became what I am."

"And what does this have to do with Kagome?"

She nodded, solemnly. "When my mother conceived Kagome, she was not in her right mind. A human prophet by the name of Naraku—corrupted by this time, but not to my mother's knowledge—had come the day before to visit the Council. He wished to have a bit more power in the religious community for sacrilegious reasons. The Council debated this overnight and allowed Naraku to stay in one of our many rooms as a guest. My mother even saw to his care." She sniffed. "And that was her undoing."

Cienna moved to sit on the bench, her head and eyelids heavy with the weight of the pain her family bore. "Naraku offered my mother a gift. It was supposed to be a soothing therapy supplement to soothe her period of Heat—much like the demons experience—that she suffered from at that time. In fact, though, it was a human chocolate, laced with a heavy sedative." She bit her lip. "Instantly, Mama was mortal and, equally as instant, she was sedated."

Sesshomaru swore. "The bastard."

Cienna nodded. "It is not hard to guess what happened afterward."

"He took advantage of her."

"Yes; and he hoped that my mother would not remember their joining so, when their child was born, she would think them the daughter of her and my father's joining—and then my parents would allow him access to the child."

"Whatever for?"

Cienna looked into Sesshomaru's eyes. "Because a child born of mortal and immortal, if it survives, is the most powerful of all deities. It has the power of choice, Sesshomaru. They can choose their life length, their appearance, they can acquire powers from anyone and anything—they are _sacred_, worshiped amongst the Gods." Her voice cracked. "But it's their ultimate choice that is the greatest."

Sesshomaru moved closer. "Please, continue."

She sobbed. "They have the power to choose Destruction or Protection."

"What do you mean?"

"When a child like Kagome is born, we have what is known as an Apocalypse or a Peaceful Period, depending on their choice. Thus, there has not been one born for millions of years. The last one born chose Destruction and my mother could not bear to watch her beautiful Earth suffer for her child's choices."

"When must Kagome make the choice?"

At this, Cienna gave him a fierce look. "Her choice lies in her two loves—one of the Darkness, one of the Light." She took a deep breath.

"Whoever can claim my sister, will decide the fate of the world; because it is the child bore of their union that will take the name of Apocalypse or Peace."

* * *

YAY UPDATE!

R&R


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